A network adapter enables a computer to transmit and receive data over a network or direct connection to another device. As network speeds increase, network adapters are designed to operate at higher speeds to support these faster network links. These increased adapter speeds raise the operating temperature of the adapter hardware to the point where the device may require a heat sink to dissipate heat and lower the temperature. Ever faster network adapters require larger heat dissipation devices, such as heat sinks. These heat related problems are only exacerbated as the speed of networks and the need to develop ever faster network adapter cards continually increases.